Attachment for manure-spreaders



A. E. BRICHACEK. ATTACHMENT roa MANURE SPREADERS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.26. 19H}.

1,342,249. Patented June 1, 1920.

V ANTON E. BRICHAGEK, OF CLARKSON, NEBRASKA.

ATTACHMENT FOB, MANURE-SPREADERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J time 1, 1920.

Application filed December 26, 1918.- Serial No. 268,254.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTON E. BRICHACEK,

'a citizen of the United States, residing at Clarkson, in the county of Colfax and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachments for l/fanure-Spreaders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprehends generally improvements in manure spreaders and more particularly relates to an attachment for manure Spreaders.

It is the primary aim and object of thisinvention to provide a device of the. above mentioned character designed to be arranged about the ratchet wheel carrying shaft of the operating mechanism of a manure spreader to act as an auxiliary operating means for the ratchet wheel and its shaft to in consequence operate the endless belt or carrier of the spreader even when the manure spreader is inactive thereby permitting of the dumping of the load in a single operation.

More particularly,'this invention contemplates the provision of a device of the above mentioned character wherein a lever is employed for movable and looped engagement with the ratchet wheel carrying shaft and a pawl on the lever eoacting with the ratchet wheel, improved means coacting with the pawl for yieldingly holding the pawl in engagement with the ratchet wheel when the device is being used while also acting in conjunction with the same parts is manually operable means for releasably holding the pawl in a retracted position so that the at tachment may be readily applied when it is desired to'use the same and subsequently re:

leased to assume an operative position.

Among the other aims and objects of this invention may be recited the provision of a device of the above mentioned character wherein the number of parts are comparatively few, the construction simple, the cost of production low and the efficiency high.

The improvements in the details and arrangement of parts will be apparent from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in connection with the specific description hereinafter contained, and wherein the preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed for the purpose of imparting a full understanding of the invention.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device applied and the ratchet wheel carrying shaft in an inactive position, the dotted lines showing the arrangement of the pawl when the device is in operativeposition,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the same showing the device applied in an operative position, and

F igL 3 is a perspective detail of the device or attachment.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now, more particularly, to the accompanying drawings there is illustrated a portion of a manure spreader A, especially the operating mechanism thereof including generally a shaft B which carries a ratchet wheel C while the shaft is rotated by the feeding pawls- D adapted to be operated in the customary manner when the manure spreader is being drawn or propelled over' i the ground and the shaft B in addition is operably connected with the operating shaft E of the endless carrier F by intermeshing gears G carried respectively by the shaft. Removably and operably mounted on the shaft B is the improved attachment designated in its entirety by the numeral 1 the general purpose of which is to actuate the shaft B and consequently the apron F when the manure spreader A is inactive to permit of the dumping of the manure in a single pile and also permitting of the use of the spreader as a dump wagon for hauling purposes, as isapparent.

1n the present instance, the attachment may be said to consist of'a lever 2 one end of which is enlarged and formed with an opening 3 for removable and refit position about the shaft B the outer end of the lever terminating in a handle t to facilitate the swinging of the lever about the shaft, A pawl 5 is now provided, the inner end of the shank of which terminates in spaced ears 6 straddled about the lever and pivotally connected thereto as by a pin 7 while the outer end of the shank is formed with a right angularly disposed and inwardly extending engaging tooth 8 beveled as at 9 toward its outer face and formed at its outer end with a right angularly extending lug 10 which is designed to be arranged in close relation with the inner face of the ratchet wheel C to guide the movement of the tooth 8 when the latter coacts with the teeth of the ratchet wheel and during the swinging movement of the lever 2. As intimated, im-' that when the-device is applied as indicated A in Fig. 1, downward movement of the lever is permitted independently of the ratchet wheel C as the pawl 5 has its tooth arranged to rideover the teeth'of the ratchet wheel, but on swinging the lever 2 upwardly the tooth 8 will engage the adjacent tooth of the ratchet wheel G to cause apartial rotation thereof to consequently rotate the shaft B and by reason of the intermeshing gears G between the shaft B and the shaft E insure of the operation of the endless apron for the dumping of the contents.

In order to hold the pawl out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 0 to permit of the application of the device to also hold the pawl in inactive positions for any purpose desired, a bell crank hand lever 13 is provided being of a channel shaped configuration in cross section and straddled about and pivoted at one end to the lever'near the handle as by a pin 14 while arranged between the lever 13 and the pawl 5 is a connecting rod 15, the looped terminals 16 of which are respectively engaged on aclip 17 mounted on the, shank of the pawl 5. and in an opening 18 at the point of distortion of the lever 13, the arrange ment being clearly shown in Fig. 3. A lip '19 extends outwardly from the handle portion of the hand lever 13 and is designed to be removably engaged by a clip 20 swingably connected to the handle 4 of the lever 2 and it is apparent that when the outer handle portion of the lever 13 is arranged in proximity to the handle 4 the clip may be swung to engage the lip 19 to hold the pawl in a retracted position against the tension of the spring 11 which latter automatically acts when the clip 20 is released to move the pawl into an engaged position, of course, subsequent to. the application of the lever 3.

It is to be understood however, that if the device is to be permanently arranged in connection" with the operating mechanism of the nmnure spreader suitable means may be employed for suspending the lever 2 from the box of the spreader A, as is apparent.

It is believed in view of the foregoing description that a further detailed description of the operation of'the device is entirely unnecessary. Likewise, it is believed that the advantages of the invention will be readily apparent.

Still further embodiments of the invention than those herein especially defined may be resorted to as conditions or preference may dictate, as may be in keeping with the hereto appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a nianurespreader, the combination with the automatically operating mechanism therefor including a rotatable shaft and a ratchet wheel carried by the shaft, of auxiliary manually operating means for the mechanism comprising a hand operable lever having one end loosely connected to the shaft adjacent to the ratchet wheel, a pawl pivoted on the lever, a guide lug formed on the pawl to bridge the ratchet wheel to lie at the inner side thereof, a coiled tension spring between the lever and the pawl for yieldingly holding the pawl in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel, a bell crank handle pivotally mounted on the lever and operatively connected to. the pawl, and coactive means on the hand lever and on the handle for releasably holding the pawl in a retracted position.

2 In a manure spreader, the combination with the automatic operating mechanism thereof including a shaft and a ratchet wheel carried by the shaft, of an auxiliary operating means for the mechanism comprising an operating lever having one end loosely connectedto the shaft adjacent to the ratchet wheel, aipawl pivoted on the lever, a beveled tooth on the end of the pawl and extending at right angles thereto and across the teeth of the ratchet wheel for engagement therewith, a guide lug on the tooth and extending at right angles [ANTON E. BRIOHACEK. 

